New Emcees of the Round Table unites Savannah's best rappers

Janay Kingsberry/Savannah Morning News Left to right: Local musicians KidSyc, Miggs Son, Grandpal Fractal, An Toine and Alex Gold joke on the set of their promotional shoot for "Emcees of the Round Table."

Good music meets a good cause Sept. 27 when the Emcees of the Round Table benefit concert kicks off at the Boiler Room.

Some of Savannah’s top hip hop artists will hit the stage in support of local music and nonprofit organization the Ogeechee Riverkeeper.

Headlining acts for the show include Alex Gold, An Toine, Basik Lee, KidSyc, Knife, Miggs Son and featured artists Electric Grandma and Grandpa Fractal.

Developed by Eric Brown of Dilated Music Group and Gold, the Round Table series began as an opportunity to promote Savannah’s emerging hip hop scene.

“There’s only a couple events in Savannah that happen for hip hop,” Brown says. “A lot of people like it, but a lot of people don’t support it like they should. So the good people at Boiler Room were nice enough to let us come over and have fun.”

The event, sponsored by Elev8ed and Sage Restaurant, also will feature apparel for purchase and more info about the Ogeechee Riverkeeper.

With more than 1,400 members involved, the nonprofit fights to protect coastal rivers in Southeast Georgia by monitoring the waters for pollution and educating the community about clean water and sustainable living solutions.

“We care a lot about the environment and admire what Ogeechee Riverkeeper is doing,” Brown says. “So we’re happy to help support them and benefit their cause.”

Local breaks the mold

Though unity and positivity may be lacking in hip hop nationally, in Savannah they are recurring qualities for many of the area’s emcees — on and off the stage.

Leading the pack is KidSyc, an Atlanta native who promotes swear-free, anti-violence music and also works closely with nonprofit organizations such as All Walks of Life, Inc.

Meanwhile Gold, who’s known for his sophisticated appearance, hits the stage with class.

“I like to be on stage the way that I dress normally,” he says. “So when I’m rapping, it’s a reflection of my life.”

All of the Round Table rappers are regular participants in Hip Hop Night at The Jinx, a weekly Tuesday forum that recently celebrated its eight-year anniversary.

Intense, heated rap battles make up the bulk of the show as emcees face off on stage and egos are pushed to the limit. But what may seem like a recipe for negativity actually has led to new partnerships and mutual respect.

Some artists have joined to form rap duos such as Hangman (Miggs Son and Knife) and Aqemini Deux (An Toine and KidSyc). And most of the artists collaborate during larger shows.

Hip hop takeover

Brown’s belief in the rappers headlining the first Round Table event extends beyond Savannah’s city limits.

“I would stack them up against anybody,” he says. “We’ve got some quality music — and different types. It’s not all just strictly Southern hip hop or northern hip hop. It’s an eclectic bunch of emcees.”

Depending on the turnout, the Round Table could turn into a regular series featuring more artists, more sponsors and more good causes.

“There’s a lot of venues that are on tap,” Gold explains. “There’s a lot of audiences that need to experience what we’re bringing to the table and really get on board before we really make this city take off — which, I promise, is pretty soon.”